PERVERT PARK (R)

Released by PBS
Reviewed by Adam Mast

When I read the synopsis for PERVERT PARK during the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, I have to admit, I wasn’t very interested in seeing it. The idea of watching a documentary that shows pedophiles in a sympathetic light simply didn’t appeal to me. Ultimately though, I did end up seeing the movie because another screening fell through. In the end, I’m glad I did see it because PERVERT PARK was one of the most challenging and enlightening experiences of the fest.

I have children and if any of them were ever attacked by one of the individuals in this doc, I don’t know that I’d be able to forgive. The thing is, PERVERT PARK doesn’t ask viewers to forgive these subjects for their crimes. If anything, the subjects here, completely take responsibility for their heinous actions. PERVERT PARK does ask us to look at a broken legal system, though.

This film’s focal point is a trailer park in Florida that houses 120 registered sex offenders who hope to one day reintegrate into society. A handful of these residents are very candid about the nature of their crimes and this openness is vital to their potential rehabilitation.

Again, PERVERT PARK never condones the actions of its subjects but it does remind viewers that this is learned behavior and in the case of many of these individuals, this is all part of a vicious cycle. Simply throwing them into the prison system, offering virtually no psychological aid, and then letting them back out seems counterproductive. I’m not going to lie. Listening to some of these subjects tell their stories made me incredibly uncomfortable, but to get to the root of a problem, the problem has to be discussed.

PERVERT PARK is raw, heartbreaking, and in many cases, shocking, but it’s also profoundly important in the way that it confronts our inability to properly deal with mental illness in this country. This is an important film.

PERVERT PARK airs on the PBS television series POV starting Monday, July 11th. Check your local listings to learn more: CLICK HERE

About Author

Adam Mast

Adam Mast has been a lifelong film enthusiast dating back to age 6 when his parents took him to see a little movie called JAWS at a drive-in theater in Northern California. This would lead him to several writing stints for various publications and outlets. Mast would also have a hand in several film projects of various shapes and sizes. In 2014, Mast would join forces with colleague John Pugh to create Cinemast.net as a means discuss film from a fan and analytical perspective. Together, Mast and Pugh would also create the 501 (C)(3) nonprofit, Film and Media Alliance of Southern Utah (FMASU) in 2017. FMASU’s mission is to encourage, inspire and educate filmmaking talent and to preserve film history. Adam currently resides in southern Utah with his amazing wife, Tonja, and their four wonderful children.

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